Fabric material and process for obtaining same from cement bags



Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH LARO, F FENTON, MICHIGAN.

FABRIC MATERIAL AND PROCESS FOR- OBTAINING SAME FROM CEMENT BAGS.

No Drawing.

My invention relates to a new article of manufacture consisting of cloth fabric reclaimed from used cement bags and so treated as to render the same in a condition for a wide variety of commercial uses where cloth fabric is required. The invention further relates to the process by which used cement bags may be converted from a material having an almost negligible commercial value into a valuable product capable of supplying an existing demand for bulk fabric material.

The bags or sacks which are at present used for shipping the products of the large Portland cement industry are after use of very little commercial value, due principally to the fact that the fabric is thoroughly impregnated with the fine cement dust and is also covered, particularly on the inside, with lumps of hardened cement which adhere tenaciously to the cloth and can not be completely removed by any ordinary methods.

I have conceived the idea of utilizing these cement covered bags in the production of cloth fabric adapted for commercial uses and have devised a special process, whereby the cloth may be so completely renovated that the reclaimed cloth is of a qualityat least commensurate with and often superior to other fabric materials. The fabric obtained by my process is entirely free from gritty particles and is well adapted for such purposes as cleaning and polishing cloths which are required in large quantities in various industries. The fabric is also thoroughly clean and sterile and is perfectly satisfactory for use as hand towels, dish towels, etc.

I will now describe the method by which I am enabled to secure this new fabric product giving all of the steps of my pre ferred process though it is to be understood that my invention is not necessarily to be construed as being limited to include all the details hereinafter set forth.

The'used cement bags are first opened to expose the inside of the same and the seams and any ragged portion are preferably removed so that the cloth is obtained as single ply material. This cloth is then subjected to a beating action, preferably in a ma chine (such machines being commercially obtainable) in order to remove dust and mechanically loosen some of the hard cement particles. The next step is to subject the cloth to a series of washing operations,

Serial No. 93,321.

these being most conveniently carried out in a mechanical washing machine. In the washing operation the fabric is first soaked in cold water for about five minutes which loosens the cement particles and separates the different pieces of cloth from each other. The cold water is then drained out of the machine and hot water added thereto containing a suitable washing material such as soda. The fabric is boiled in this washing solution for approximately fifteen minutes during which time the machine is running continuously. The machine is then drained and additional hot water introduced and the washing continued for another five minutes during which time steam is continuously introduced.

The next step of the process is to subject the material to a special bleaching solution adapted particularly for removing the paint and cement remaining on the fabric after the prior treatments. The bleaching solution recommended for this purpose is composed of chloride of lime and soda and is preferably made up in advance by adding 17 pounds of chloride of lime to gallons of water and allowing it to stand for a days time, after which 24: pounds of soda is added together with enough water to make gal.- lons of solution. After another days standing the bleach is then ready for use and is added to the water and cloth in the washing machine. It is preferable to add in addition to the bleach a certain amount of good soap and as an example of the preferred composition of the complete mixture the following given: 50 gallons of water, 3 gallons of bleach, 3 pounds of soap. The washing machine is run for approximately ten minutes with the bleaching solution therein during which time the fabric is whitened and freed from the remaining cement par-- ticles.

After this step the bleaching solution is drained from the machine and hot water and steam again introduced in order to Wash out the bleach and sterilize the material. The fabric is preferably treated in this way for three successive rinsings in hot water after which there is a final rinse in cold water. The cloth may now be removed from the machine and the water extracted in any convenient way, preferably by means of a centrifugal machine and the renovated material passed through an ironer.

The cement bags treated by the above described process are so thoroughly cleaned that they would not be recognized as the same product introduced into the process except for the Weave and texture of the material. The cloth is soft and pliable, entirely free from dirt, cement and gritty particles and is adapted for use as a hand towel.

ln carrying out the process as above described, the Washing'machine accumulates a certain amount of cement and other foreign substances which have been removed from the i'i'ia'terial during the renovating operations. Y .t is therefore essential that the ma- 'riiine be periodically cleansed and for this purpose I employ a solution containing :nuriatic acid. l he preferred composition of this solution is one quart of muriatic acid to ten gallons of Water which provided a :leansing agent that will remove the cement without injuring the machine.

li hat I claim as my invention is:

l. The process of reclaiming cloth from used cement bags comprising the following steps; removing the seams and ragged portions from said bag to form a single ply fabric, beating said fabric to free the same from coarse particles and dust, mechanically Washing said fabric in a hot Washing solution, bleaching, rinsing, and extracting the fluid from the fabric.

2. The process of reclaiming cloth from used cement bags consisting in boiling the fabric in a soda solution While mechanically agitating the same, treating the fabric With a bleaching solution containing soda and chloride of lime, rinsing, and extracting the liquid therefrom. V

The process of reclaiming cloth from used cement bags which consists in removthe seams and ragged portions to obtain sin 'le ply fabric, subjecting said fabric to n hanical agitation in a boiling washing FOlJ'tlOH, treating the Washed fabric with a solution containing chloride of lime and sub iccting the fabric to a series of rinsii'ig operations.

4-. The process of reclaiming cloth from used cement bags consisting in removing the scams-and ragged portions to obtain single ply fabric, placing tte fabric in a mechanically operated Washing machine, rinsing in cold Water, operating said machine with a boiling solution containing soda, subse quently operating said machine With a solution containing chloride of lime, soda and soap, operating said machine with a series of successive rinses, and extracting the liquid from the fabric.

In testimony whereof I aflix by signature.

JOSEPH LARO. 

